19 February 2010
Five times the rain halves storage drop
Five times the average rain for Melbourne’s catchments this week has put the brakes on the usual summertime storage drop.
Reservoir levels fell by just 0.2% of capacity, representing an overall decline of 2.4 billion litres. This compares with the average weekly drop during summer of 0.4%.
The major catchments received an average of 46.9mm – almost 430% above the long-term average.
As usual during this time of year, conditions in the catchments limited runoff into reservoirs to 4.5 billion litres – still above average, but only by 30%.
Storages are now 35.4% (641.5 billion litres) full, compared with 31.7% (562.0 billion litres) at the same time last year – a difference of almost 80 billion litres.
Households did their bit to slow the storage decline by keeping water use low.
Melburnians used a daily average of 141 litres per person – well below the Target of 155 litres and the first time in four weeks we’ve beaten the target.
More information on restrictions and tips on how to reach the target are available from Target 155 [website no longer available, visit Office of Water for this information] or by contacting the government water retailers.
Stage 3a restrictions and Target 155 are currently in place.
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Media Contact: Andrew McGinnes +613 9235 7277 +61 (0)403 930 846